title: Research on the relationship between serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to evaluate the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8 and VEGF in serum of patients with non- small cell lung cancer, for assessing their possible diagnostic and prognostic roles.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 48 patients newly diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer and 40 healthy controls. TNF- α, IL-6 and IL-8 levels were measured in the serum of all the subjects with specific radioimmunoassay kits, while EGF was analyzed by sandwich enzyme immunoassay techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant difference was observed between lung cancer patients and the control group regarding the values of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8 and VEGF in serum. Moreover, TNF-α, IL-8 and VEGF levels were higher in patients with advanced stages compared to early stages. In addition, higher serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8 and VEGF were found in smokers than in non-smokers, both in patients and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8 and VEGF were all elevated in lung cancer patients, suggesting that inflammatory cytokines could be jointly used as a screening tool. Though TNF-α, IL-8 and VEGF levels were related to advanced disease, long-term survival studies of NSCLC patients should be performed to confirm whether they can act as biomarkers of advanced disease. In addition, smoking would be an important contributor to the processes of inflammation and lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China E-mail : liuzhidongbj@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yun
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Shi-Jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Yun-Song
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: De-Zhi
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.forename: Chong-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Zhi-Dong
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A